Knock-down support



Oct. 22, 1968 R. LANG KNOCK-DOWN SUPPORT Filed Oct. 2l, 1966 RICHARD LANG United States Patet 0.,

. Y 3,406,785 l KNOCK-DOWN SUPPORT Richard Lang, R.R.1, Kewanee, Ill. 61443`l Filed Oct. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 588,519 9 Claims. (Cl. 18h-226);-

This invention relates to a knock-down support that finds particular utility in the construction of saw horses, trestles, benches and the like and has for a principal' object the provision of a low-cost, light-weight support made up of a pair of mating legs that can be easily and quickly assembled and separated by means of interfitting parts that eliminate the need for additional fasteners. Paired legs thus connected may -be used alone or in multiples with like pairs and with ordinary lumber etc.

It is a further object of the invention to construct each leg as a column having rigid at its upper end a laterally extending shelf-lke part in the free edge of which is provided the interiitting portion, which on one leg is a groove and on the other is a matching tongue. It is a further object to provide the tongue and groove below the plane in which the shelf-like parts are coplanar when the legs are assembled, thus leaving these parts free to provide a flat supporting area. A still further object is to construct each leg of double-walled section in its upper portion that includes the interitting element, and further to provide the groove in the shape of a C in cross-section so that it has a relatively large pocket and a relatively narrow mouth having lips that engage cooperative parts on the complementarily shaped tongue so as to inhibit relative angular movement of the legs about the axis of the tongue and groove.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features, encompassed by and inherent in the invention, will become apparent as a preferred embodiment is disclosed, by way of example, in the ensuing description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of one leg;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective of the companion leg;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective of the two legs assembled;

FIGURE 4 is an end view, with a portion broken away, showing the assembled legs;

FIGURE 5 is a side View, on a reduced scale, showing an exemplary use of two pairs of assembled legs with a piece of lumber to construct a saw horse;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan, with a portion broken away, of the blank of sheet metal of which each leg may be formed.

The numeral 10 designates the one leg, here shown as having opposite upright side flanges 12, a bottom ange 14 and a top, iiat or shelf-like part 16 which extends inwardly to include an interfitting element, here a C-shaped groove 18. FIGURE 7 shows how this leg can be simply constructed from a one-piece blank of sheet metal. In the formation of the groove 18, the sheet stock is shaped as shown to provide a double-walled structure 20, and a portion of the sheet lies directly under the part 16, as at 22, to provide double thickness in this area, thus affording substantial strength to the completed unit. The part 16 has a pair of integral tabs or wings 24 which are bent down and Welded at 26 to the respective side tlanges 12. An integral upt-urned flange 28, apertured at 30, is pro- 3,406,786 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 vided for receiving lumber etc. that may be used with the legs, as at 32 in FIGURE 5.

The C-shaped groove 18 is so formed that it has a pocket 34 of relatively large diameter compared to its narrower mouth 36 which is defined by a pair of parallel lips `38 and 40. This mouth opens inwardly or toward the other leg when the two legs are assembled and further is below the level of the top or shelf-like part 16, leaving the latter clear. 1 y

The other leg, designated in its entirety at 50, may likewise be constructed from a blank like that in FIGURE 7, so that when it is completed it has side flanges 52, a bottom flange (not visible) and a fiat top 54 on which is formed a cooperative interfitting element, here atongue. 56 of tubular section, a pair of wings 58 welded at 60 to the side iianges 52 and an apertured mounting flange 62.

The groove 18, being C-shaped, opens axially at each of its opposite ends as Well as toward the other leg S0 via its mouth 36 as defined by the lips 38 and 40. The tongue 56, disposed below the level of the top part 54, is formed so that it has a relatively large partly cylindrical portion 64 and an integral portion of narrower dimension formed by walls 66 and 68, the former sloping uphill to merge with the top part 54 and the latter also sloping uphill but beneath the top part '54 so as to give this leg a doublethickness structure in this area, as at 70. The diameter of the tongue portion 56 is on the order of the inside diameter of the groove pocket 28 so as to closely it the same, and the spacing between the lips 38 and 40 is on the order of that between the tongue-forming walls 66 and 68 substantially at their respective junctions with the portion 56.

The legs are assembled by sliding the tongue end-wise into the groove so that the interlocked position of FIG- URES 3 and 4 is achieved. The lower ends of the legs are automatically spaced apart as the lips 38 and 40 interengage with the wall portions 66 and 68 to inhibit relative rotation of the legs about the common axis of the tongue and groove. This rigidiiies the interlocked assembly. When the legs are used as in FIGURE 5, screws or other fasteners inserted through the apertured mounting iianges 28 and 62 will keep the legs from axial separation. A slight taper is designed into the legs for stability. The legs may of course be readily separated by sliding the tongue end-wise out of the groove.

Each leg by itself is simple and easy to manufacture and lends itself to mass production so that its cost is low. The double-walled and double-thickness areas provide for added strength without increasing weight. These features are further augmented by constructing each leg of one piece.

Features and advantages other than those categorically pointed out herein will be apparent to those versed in the art, as will many modifications and alterations in the illustrated example, all without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A knock-down support comprising a pair of mating legs respectively having upper and lower ends, each upper end having an element facing toward the other and said elements respectively having cooperative, separably interftting parts constructed to removably interlock with each other to hold the legs generally upright and with their lower ends spaced apart, said upper ends respectively including at top parts that are horizontally coplanar when the legs are interconnected and said interfitting parts lying below the plane in which said tlat parts are coplanar and being formed as integral extensions respectively of said parts.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which each iiat part has an upstanding mounting flange horizontally remote from its interfitting part so that said flanges are horizontally spaced apart when the legs are interconnected.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which one intertting part is a groove and the other part is a-'tongue selectively receivable by and removable from the groove.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which the groove extends horizontally so vas to have opposite ends respectively adjacent to the opposite sides of its leg, said groove being of C-shaped cross-section and including a pocket bordered by a pair of parallel lips spaced apart to provide a mouth opening toward the other leg and narrower than the pocket, said pocket opening also at at least one'end, and the tongue has a narrow portion on the order of the spacing between the lips and an integral enlarged portion matching the pocket so that the tongue is coaxially endwise insertable in and removable from the groove.

5. The invention defined in claim 4, in which the lips relatively closely engage the narrow portion of the tongue to inhibit relative rotation of the legs about the axis of the pocket. 1

6. The invention defined in claim 4, in which the interitting parts are formed of sheet metal, the part including the groove being of double thickness to establish the C shape and the part including the tongue being tubular.

7. The invention defined in claim 4, in which each leg is constructed of a single piece of sheet metal.

8. The invention defined `in claim 1, in which said upper =ends respectively-include liat top parts that are horizontally coplanar when the legs. are interconnected and said intertting parts are respectively a groove in and below the level of one part and'facing toward the other part and a groove-matching tongue on and below the level of said other part and end-wise receivable in and removable from said groove.

9. The invention defined in claim 8, in which each leg has a pair of opposite side flanges and each at top part has a pair of spaced wings respectively depending toward and secured;v to YVsaid side anges.

l References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,196 7/1943 Crozier 182-186 XR 3,103,988 9/1963 Knuth 182--226 3,302,910 2/1967 Williams 248-173 XR ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Enxaminer. R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner. 

